There are signs of an increasing chip shortage in German industry. In October, 10.4 percent of manufacturers of electronic and optical products complained about material shortages, according to the Munich Ifo Institute based on its regular surveys. In April it was only 3.8 percent.
“The control mechanisms and trade restrictions for rare earths are having an effect,” said Ifo expert Klaus Wohlrabe and warns: “If this development continues and intensifies, it will also affect economic growth.”
Again average from the pre-Corona years
A relatively high proportion of 10 percent of manufacturers of electrical equipment also complain about delivery bottlenecks. In contrast, 5.5 percent of German industry as a whole report a lack of materials. This corresponds roughly to the average from the pre-Corona years, says Wohlrabe.
According to the survey, the auto industry, where there are currently reports of concerns about a chip shortage, is minimally affected, with one percent of companies suing. However, most of the answers came from the beginning of the month, said Wohlrabe. He is looking forward to the answers in November.
Last had Volkswagen warned of possible production downtimes. reason are Delivery problems at the important semiconductor producer Nexperia. The European manufacturer association Acea also sounded the alarm on Wednesday: the chip shortage is getting worse “day by day,” the association said. Member companies have already reported that the delivery of components had been stopped due to the shortage. “This means that it could only be a matter of days before the production lines come to a standstill,” warned association boss Sigrid de Vries.
“We urgently call on all parties involved to redouble their efforts to find a diplomatic way out of this critical situation,” emphasized de Vries.
According to Acea, car manufacturers are currently increasingly relying on reserve stocks, which are, however, rapidly running out. A recent survey among members of the manufacturers’ association showed that some car manufacturers assume that production stops are imminent.
There are a number of “alternative suppliers,” explained Acea. However, it will “take many months” to build up additional capacity that could close the current supply gap. However, the auto industry does not have that much time before “the worst effects” of the chip shortage are felt.
German carmaker Mercedes said on Wednesday that the “short-term” supply of chips was secured. At the same time, alternatives are being sought worldwide, said CEO Ola Källenius in a telephone conference with analysts.
The Association of the Electrical and Digital Industry (ZVEI) sees the Nexperia case as a “wake-up call” for Europe. “In the short term, diplomacy and political pressure could persuade the Chinese to lift their export ban,” said ZVEI managing director Wolfgang Weber to the specialist information service “Tagesspiegel Background”. In principle, however, politics, industry and society in Europe must become “more resilient together”, he demanded.
However, the current shortage is a long way from the highs at the height of the last chip crisis in December 2021. At that time, 81.9 percent of companies reported material shortages.